Monoprice’s newest headphones put the bang-for-your-buck proposition to the test

After initially gaining a reputation as a decent place to buy cheap HDMI cables, Monoprice has increasingly become known for quality low-cost products of all varieties, not the least of which are its audio offerings. From cheap headphones to surprisingly good-sounding 5.1 surround speaker packages, Monoprice has become a company to watch.

Now Monoprice has unveiled three new additions to its headphone lineup. Ranging from $15 to $100, the headphones’ features may vary, and they may be rather generically named, but you certainly can’t knock the price.

The most expensive addition to the lineup is the $100 Active Noise-Cancelling Headphone with Bass Boost, model number 12231. As the name implies, the headphones feature Active Noise Reduction (ANR), along with a bass boost to counter the loss of low end that often occurs with noise-cancelling headphones. The headphones include a passive mode, and come with a removable 4.6-foot cable with mic and remote.

At $70, model number 12230, the Hi-Fi Over-the-Ear Headphone are company’s best “basic” headphone. Unlike Monoprice’s less expensive options, they feature a removable cable with built-in mic and remote, and seem to have more substantial ear pads than lower-priced models. Monoprice tells us this is the best-sounding headphone they make.

Finally, the Hi-Fi Lightweight On-Ear Headphone – model number 13189 – seem to be the consumer-focused alternative to Monoprice’s popular 8323 headphones. This model’s cable isn’t removable, but it does include a mic and remote. At $15 this isn’t going to offer as many features, but is likely a great choice if you’re looking for a spare pair of headphones to toss in a backpack.

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get great sound, and our headphone offerings prove that you can buy sound quality that matches or surpasses headphones that are two or three times as expensive,” Monoprice president Bernard Luthi said in the press release announcing the new headphones. “Each product in this new lineup was thoughtfully designed and engineered with the idea that consumers should have access to high-quality audio at prices that don’t break the bank.”